A conventional seat apparatus for a vehicle such as an automotive is, for example, described in JPH6-86194A (document 1). The seat apparatus for a vehicle includes a lower rail (3) secured to a floor of the vehicle and an upper rail (4) secured to a seat. The upper rail is relatively movably supported to the lower rail. In the seat apparatus for a vehicle, the upper rail is moved relatively to the lower rail, whereby the seat position can be adjusted.
The seat apparatus for a vehicle further includes a lock member (7) for restricting a movement of the upper rail relative to the lower rail. The restriction of the movement of the upper rail relative to the lower rail by the lock member can be released when a slide lock release lever (8) is operated by a user.
The seat apparatus for a vehicle further includes a memory member (10). When the slide lock release lever is operated by a user to a first stage, the upper rail (seat) is permitted to move backward while the memory member retains a seat position where the seat was placed before the slide lock lever is operated. After that, when the upper rail is moved forward, the movement of the upper rail is restricted at the seat position memorized by the memory member. On the other hand, when the slide lock release lever is operated by a user to a second stage, the seat position memorized by the memory member can be changed in accordance with a change (adjustment) of the seat position.
In the seat apparatus for a vehicle, an action of the memory member for memorizing the seat position or for changing a memorized seat position needs to be selectively switched according to a stage number (the amount of operation) when the upper rail is moved relatively to the lower rail, in other words, the seat position is adjusted. Accordingly, a user is required to separately utilize stages of the slide lock release lever to adjust a seat position. In other words, the seat apparatus for a vehicle forces a user to understand a configuration thereof. If a user does not understand the configuration sufficiently, there can be a danger that the user induces an unintended action of the seat apparatus.
A need thus exists for a seat apparatus for a vehicle, in which operations can be separately utilized in a clear manner for memorizing a seat position or for changing a memorized seat position. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances and provides such a seat apparatus for a vehicle.